mallet; then another layer beaten as before; and this is repeated till the beds are half a foot thick, and very firm. (2.) The boxes are now placed in the mushroom-house, or any place where a slight increase of temperature can be procured. (3.) When fermentation takes place, and the beds are about milk-warm, holes are dibbled in the mass, about nine inches apart, for receiving the spawn, which is of course to be previously prepared. (4.) These holes are left open until the heat is on the decline, and before it is quite gone a piece of spawn is thrust into each, and they are closed with the compost. (5.) A week afterwards the beds are covered with a coating of rich mould, mixed with about a fifth part of horse-droppings, and beaten down with the back of a spade. (6.) The place is now kept as nearly and equally at 55° Fahrenheit as it can be. When the boxes become dry, it is found necessary to sprinkle over them a little soft water, but this must be done with circumspection. The more free air can be admitted, so as to exclude the frost, the better for the flavor of the mush rooms. 7. Onions are much improved, it has been found, by transplanting. Mr. Knight's plan is to sow the seed (preferring the variety named white Portugal onion), at the usual spring season, thick under the shade of trees, and in a poor soil. In the autumn the bulbs being small, but of firm texture, are taken from the ground, and preserved till the succeeding spring, when they are planted at equal distances, perhaps six inches from each other. The plants thus produced possess superior strength and vigor to those raised directly from the seed, owing to the quantity of previously generated sap being greater in the bulb than the seed. In Spain and Portugal they can accomplish this in one summer. 8. Mr. Knight some years ago obtained a new and most beautiful pea, by pollen taken from different varieties of blossom, white and gray, the plant generally rising to the height of eight or ten feet. In exposed situations it is apt to be injured by the winds; but in sheltered places, and with the aid of stakes, it proves extremely productive. The blossoms are large and white, and both the legumes or cods, and the seeds or peas, are large. The peas are of a cream color: as they begin to dry, they shrivel or contract in some degree; from which circumstance the name of wrinkled pea has been given them among seedsmen. The flavor, when boiled, is peculiarly rich, no pea indeed has hitherto been found to yield an equal quantity of saccharine, and it retains its flavor in autumn uncommonly well. It should not be sown before April or May. 9. Potatoes have been improved under the auspices of the Horticultural Societies of the country, but a hardy growth of them is yet wanted. An important fact in the cultivation of potatoes was noticed about the year 1806, by Mr. Thomas Dickson of Edinburgh, viz. that the most healthy and productive plants were to be obtained by employing as seed-stock tubers which had not been thoroughly ripened, or even by planting only the wet, or least ripened ends of long-shaped potatoes. Mr. Knight has also shown the advantage of using, as seed-stock, potatoes which have grown late in the preceding year, or have been only imperfectly ripened. It is likewise important to observe that it seems established, if a valuable kind is exhausted, or has lost its good qualities, it may be restored merely by planting the tubers late in the summer, and preserving the produce of this late planting for seed-stock. Supplies of young potatoes are often produced, during winter, in boxes placed in the mushroomhouse, in the shade at the back of a hot-house, or in a common cellar, out of the reach of frost. Old potatoes are placed in October in layers, alternating with a mixture of tree leaves, sand, and light mould. Vegetation soon proceeds; and, there being no opportunity for the unfolding of stems and leaves, the energies of the plants are expended in the production of young ones. Before mid-winter these attain the usual size and appearance of early potatoes; but they are inferior and of a watery taste. 10. No modern addition to our horticultural productions has been more extensively approved than that of rhubarb stalks, and they are every year improving. We do not find them adopted in any other country; but they are an important article of trade to the green-grocers both of London and Edinburgh. By the employment of young seedling plants, say of Rheum rhaponticum, hybridum, compactum, or Sibiricum, the proper removal of leaves, and the keeping of the plants from flowering, the succulent stalk, when peeled, cut down, and baked into tarts, has the appearance of apples, and a mild sweetness preferred by many people. In the open ground the stalks are produced from April till midsummer. Vegetation may be hastened during March, by throwing over the plants some loose haum, care being taken not to injure the shoots. Rhubarb may be forced much in the manner of sea-kale; but the stalks thus become not only of a lighter color, but have less of the peculiar flavor of the plant. Mr. Knight mentions a method of forcing rhubarb by planting it in pots. In the beginning of winter a number of roots of rhubarb are dug up, and placed in some large and deep pots, each being made to receive as many as it will contain. Some fine sandy loam is then washed in, so as closely to fill the interstices between the roots, the tops of which are so placed as to be level with each other, and about an inch below the surface of the mould in the pots. The pots are placed in any kind of hot-house; and other pots of the same size are inverted over them. If water be freely supplied, vegetation proceeds very rapidly: three successive crops of leafstalks may generally be obtained. The shaded spaces of vineries or peach-houses, which are generally wholly unoccupied, are exceedingly well suited for this operation. 11. Sprouts, called Brussels sprouts (the chou à jets of that neighbourhood), are the smaller rosettes of the stem leaves of this kind of cabbage, resembling the Savoy. They are very delicate eating, and are cultivated much in the manner of coleworts in general. The seed is to be sown in Spring, and seedlings planted out before midsummer on showery days. The plants grow as high as three feet, and the sprouts form a narrow pyramidal growth round the stem. In October the plants should be furnished round the roots with additional earth. The earliest sprouts become fit for use in November; and, if the weather be mild, they continue good, or even improving till March. Two or three of the best plants, with the rosettes small and closely set, should be allowed to run to flower, in order to secure a supply of seed. In the London Horticultural Transactions, vol. iii., Mr. Van Mons of Brussels states, that, by successive sowings, the sprouts are there obtained for the greater part of the year. The tops of the plants are cut off a fortnight before beginning to gather the sprouts; which, it is thought, promotes the production of rosettes. The sprouts are preferred when small or young; if they be more than half an inch in diameter, they are thought too large. In the spring, when the plants have a tendency to run to flower, their growth is checked, by transplanting them to a cool situation. 2. Turnips-The navew, or navet of the French, is a variety of our brassica napus, first cultivated in this country during the late war. The cultivation is similar to that of other turnips; but the root, which is carrot-shaped, is of a much higher flavor. It is put whole into soups, after being scraped. The Maltese turnip, a fine yellow variety of a round shape and very smooth skin, has also been much cultivated of late: it is best preserved in sand during winter. The Aberdeen yellow turnip is something similar to it in appearance. The Swedish ruta baga is also now preferred by many for the winter, on account of its rich flavor and agreeable sweetness. It may either be stored in sand, or, being a hardy plant, may remain in the ground till wanted. Powdered quick-lime sprinkled over the young plants has been found an excellent remedy against the ravages of the turnip fly. II. In the FLOWER GARDEN and SHRUBBERY we may notice the additions which have been made of late years to the rose tribes cultivated in this country. These have been largely increased from China, as in Lady Banks', the blush, the crimson, and the Macartney rose. Some varieties of the crimson China rose, with semi-double flowers, are particularly beautiful. Varieties of the Scots and Ayrshire roses have also extended themselves over England. The latter grows with remarkable rapidity, and has been found useful in covering walls or paling. It is the R. capreolata of Don. Several Japan shrubs have been also adopted as highly ornamental. We may enumerate, 1. The Japan apple, (Pyrus Japonica); the gold plant (Aucuba Japonica); and the corchorus, or Kerrea Japonica. From Ireland, within these few years, have been brought three very ornamental evergreens. 1. The most important is a broad-leaved Irish vy, the most superior plant of that tribe. It both grows more freely, and has leaves three or four times larger, as well as of a much brighter green, than the common ivy. 2. The next plant we shall mention is a kind of yew, remarkable for its upright growth, and fine dark foliage. 3. The Irish furze, also remarkable for its upright growth. The Siberian lilac is a pretty shrub of .ate introduction. The size of the leaf is between that of the two old species. It seems to be the varin of the French. Ribes aureum, or the yellowflowered currant,makes also a fine appearance when in blossom. It requires shelter, or to be trained. The tree-peony, or moutan, is also planted in a sheltered situation, and forms a beautiful ornament to the garden or shrubbery when in flower. The cultivation of dahlias, we may add, has become very fashionable; and the showy geraniums have greatly increased. Acacias have been yielded from New Holland in great abundance; while the heaths of the Cape of Good Hope have become so numerous, and are so beautiful, that upwards of 200 species of them are already adopted. III. The FRUIT GARDEN and NURSERY operations have received more attention and improvement of late years, perhaps, than any other branch of horticulture. We shall first notice the chief new varieties of fruit that have been introduced. 1. Of Apples.-Mr. Knight has distinguished himself in the culture both of the apple and pear. We owe to him, or his improved methods of cultivation, the yellow Ingestrie pippin, the Scotch nonpareil and the Braddock nonpareil. The Downton pippin, so named after Mr. Knight's seat, has been long known. The Wormsley pippin is a variety of the latter, and a very fine large juicy fruit. The russet nonpareil was raised at Pitmaston near Worcester, from 'seeds of the nonpareil. The blossom is more hardy than that of the parent variety, and the fruit compressed of a dull green, and much covered with russet; the pulp is of a pleasant and very aromatic consistence. The martin nonpareil is another fine dessert species raised near Worcester America has of late yielded, the important addition of the Newtown pippin of Long Island, a fine dessert apple, similar to the rennet; it keeps well, is in perfection in January, but continues good till March or April. In this country the tree requires a wall with a good aspect. The Spitzenberg apple has somewhat of the pine-apple flavor: the tree requires a sheltered west situation and good soil; the fruit is of fine appearance. The American nonpareil, or pomme de grise, is a high-flavored apple, introduced only a few years ago: and also flourishes best on a west wall. The Canadian rennet may be added as a good wall apple. 2. The Elton cherry was produced by Mr. Knight from the pollen of the white heart and the blossom of the graffion. It has a deep crimson tinge on the petals, and very long fruit stalks. The black eagle he obtained from the graffion and mayduke. The Waterloo and early black cherry were similarly produced. All these are great improvements in regard to handsome and juicy fruit. 3. The cranberry of America (Vaccinium Macrocarpum) is a useful recent addition to our hardy fruit. It is large for a cranberry, grows freely, and to a good height, and is distinguished by the smoothness of its stem. It flourishes most in a damp situation or near water. 4. In currants nothing exceeds the large Dutch white and the Champagne, an intermediate currant between red and white, but larger and more juicy than the red. The Pollock white is an excellent and very sweet variety, raised from the seed, at the garden of Sir John Maxwell, Bart. 5. Gooseberries have been considerably improved in Lancashire, where they speak highest of the Warrington, the Captain, the Old Ironmonger, and the red Champagne. Wilmot's early red likewise deserves mention it is early ripe, large, and of excellent flavor; in May, it is better for tarts and sauces than most others, the skin melting down with the rest of the berry. It is easily cultivated and very productive. 6. Grapes are too important for an incidental notice like the present, see VINE. But we may here mention that Mr. Knight has successfully mingled the pollen of the Aleppo grape with the flower of the white chassilas, and produced one of the best of the new varieties of the grape, the variegated chasse las. 7. The Woodhall is the only new variety of nectarine; and is so named from its having been raised at Woodhall, near Holyton in Scotland, by Mr. Walter Henderson, a successful culti vator of the citrus and erica tribes. The fruit, which is very successful, generally approaches to the elruge; but it is more juicy, and of a higher flavor. The tree has never shown the slightest symptom of mildew. The blossom is small, early, and hardy. 8. In the Orangery large trees are not now so frequently found as formerly. The citron and the lemon are preferred for training on trellises, or for covering the back wall of a hot-house. Mr. Benham of Islesworth, and Mr. Henderson of Woodhall, are considered, we believe, among the most successful cultivators of the orange tribes, and have lately introduced the Malta or sweet Philippine orange. It is of a beautiful round shape, reddish-yellow rind, and crimson juice. The fruit is small. The shaddock sometimes attains in England a large size, the fruit weighing from four pounds to eight pounds or upwards; but it is not fit to be eaten in a raw state. 9. Mr. Knight meets us again as a successful cultivator of peaches. He planted several trees in large pots, and paid every attention to bringing them to a state of high health and vigor; he then applied to the pistil of one good kind the antheræ of another; each tree was allowed to bring not more than three peaches to perfection; and thus he produced the Acton and Spring Grove peach, both of a beautiful bright color, and firm but melting vinous pulp. Braddick's American peach is recommended in the London Horticultural Transactions, vol. ii. It is a large yellow fruit, red next the sun; the pulp yellow, and of high flavor. It is not, however, hardy, nor does the tree freely produce. 10. In pears the Wormsley Bergamot, and the Bon Chretien, much cultivated near London, are the only importan: new varieties. The Wormsley Bergamot has been raised by Mr. Knight from the blossom of the autumn bergamot, dusted with the pollen of the St. Germain. The sickle pear of America is also an addition to our fruit gardens. 11. In the third volume of the London Horticultural Transactions, Mr. Hooker has described Wilmot's new early Orleans plum. It resembles generally the common Orleans; but the fruit ripens three weeks before that fruit; while the blossom expands later than in almost any of the plum tribe. The fruit resembles the Orleans, but is more juicy, and of finer flavor; the tree is vigorous and fertile. Coe's golden drop is also a new variety. The leaves are uncommonly large, and this is the principal character of the variety. When the fruit is ripe, the pulp is of a gold yellow color; it is dotted next the sun with. violet and crimson. The fruit may be kept for many weeks hung up in a dry place. The trees require a west wall. Improvements in the rearing of fruit trees.— Mr. Knight, in his treatise on the apple and pear, notices the fact that some of the finest cider and perry fruits of the seventeenth century have become extinct, and observes that, as each variety of fruit springs from an individual at first, it is by means of grafting or badding, that the individual has been extended. Whatever tendency to decay and extinction existed in the individual at first, must, he remarks, exist in all the extensions of that individual accomplished by means of buds or grafts. By careful management, or fortunate situation, the health and life of a particular individual or original tree, therefore, may be prolonged; and, in like manner, some buds or grafts, placed on vigorous stocks and nursed in favorable situations, may long survive the other buds or grafts from the same tree, or may long survive the original unengrafted tree. Still, in all of them, there is a progress to extinction; the same inevitable fate awaits them : the only renewal of an individual, the only true reproduction, is by seed. Mr. Knight's doctrine, in this respect, seems now to be establisbed, and the importance of acquiring new varieties of our staple fruits is generally acknowledged. Our author has taken uncommon pains to procure promising seeds for this purpose. For example, he prepared stocks of the best kinds of apple capable of being propagated by cuttings, and planted these stocks against a wall in a rich soil; these were next year grafted with the golden pippin. In the course of the following winter the young trees were raised from the ground, and, the roots being shortened, they were replanted. By this mode of treatment they were brought into a bearing state at the end of two seasons. Only two apples were suffered to remain on each tree; these consequently attained a large size and perfect maturity; and the seeds, thus procured were sown to procure seedlings allied to the golden pippin. Mr. Knight, Mr. Macdonald, and others, have also been at great pains to bring the pollen of one kind of approved fruit in contact with the pistils of others; an operation of great nicety. Mr. Knight opened the unexpanded blossom of the variety destined to be the female parent of the new progeny, and with a pair of small pointed scissors cut away all the stamina while the an thers were yet unripe, taking great care to leave the style and stigmata uninjured. The full blown blossoms of the other variety were after wards applied. The fruits resulting from such artificial impregnation have been of the most promising character. He has often remarked in the progeny a strong prevalence of the constitution and habits of the female parent. In this country, therefore, in experimenting on pears, the pollen of the more delicate French kinds, as the crasanne, colmar, or chaumontelle, should be dusted upon the flowers (always deprived of stamina) of the muirfowl egg, the gray achan, the green yair, or others that are hardy or of British origin. By these means, it may be hoped that, in the course of another generation, excellent winter pears may be obtained in abundance from our standard trees; for at present we are nearly destitute of hardy winter pears. We find ourselves indebted to the ingenuity of Mr. Knight at every step of our progress through the nursery and fruit garden. Observing how slow some trees, as the mulberry and walnut for instance, are in bearing, he has ascertained, that if cions be taken from prolific branches of bearing trees, the young trees may be made to anticipate the course of nature many years. If indeed the stocks be planted in pots, and grafted by approach, they will generally afford fruit in three years. In training young trees, of the peach and pear kinds, Mr. Knight's plants are headed down as usual, a year after being grafted; two shoots only are allowed to each stem, and these are -trained to an elevation of about 5°. A branch trained upright, it is well known, grows much more luxuriantly than one confined to an horizontal position. Advantage is taken of this law of vegetation, and, in order to procure the shoots of equal length, the stronger is depressed and the weaker elevated. All lateral shoots are care fully removed. Next season as many branches are encouraged as can be laid in without overshading each other; and care is taken in the spring to select the strongest and earliest buds near the termination of the year-old branches, to be trained lowest, and the weakest and latest 'buds near the base of the branches to be trained inclining upwards: the result is, that, at the end of the season, each annual shoot comes to be nearly of equal vigor. In the following winter half of the shoots are shortened, and the other half left at full length, one shoot being left and the other cut alternately. In the third year, the central part of a peach-tree will consist of bearing wood. The size and general health, and equality of vigor in every part, of young trees trained by these rules, evince a very regular distribution of sap; and the rules at any rate are simple and of easy observance. Such trees, as they advance, are trained in the fan mode, always preferable where the walls are of a sufficient height. It We may here notice, as connected with this subject, that it has been found to promote the growth of fruit in trees to bend the extreme branches of them, in training, downwards. checks the tendency to produce wood. It is also a modern practice to conduct the extreme branches of fruit-trees from one side of a wall to the other. Sir Joseph Banks having a Gansel's bergamot pear-tree on a north aspect, where the fruit did not succeed, caused some branches to be turned over to the south side, and trained downwards, when they not only produced fime fruit, but abundance of it. The roots of the May-duke cherry, and some others, require to be in a cool soil. On the north side of a wall, therefore, such trees thrive best; but it has been found, that if their extreme branches be turned over the wall, and trained downwards on the south side, they are not only brought into plentiful bearing, but yield their fruit earlier. Decorticating, or cleansing the skins of trees by stripping off the bark and washing them, has long been practised. Mr. Lyon, of Edinburgh, has lately invented several simple instruments for facilitating the removal of the bark, and carried the practice much farther than his predecessors. He recommends its being adopted even for young and bearing trees much more frequently, and not merely, as heretofore, in case of the bark appearing diseased or insect-eaten. The decortication of vines has been revived, and strongly recommended of late, in a pamphlet by Sir John Sinclair. For improvements in various horticultural erections, see HOT-HOUSES, PINE-STOVES, &C. SECT. VI.-A TABLE SHOWING the number of CROPS REQUIRED OF EACH SORT OF VEGETABLES, TO HAVE A REGULAR SUCCESSION THROUGH THE YEAR; WITH THE TIME OF SOWING AND PLANTING. KITCHEN GARDEN PLANTS, SEEDS, AND ROOTS. No. of Crops. Time of Sowing, &c. Alisanders Angelica Artichoke Asparagus forced in autumn Balm late Beets 2 March, August 2 March, August 1 March or April 1 March or April 5 October, November, De Boorcole or kale 3 March, April, June 2 May, June 1 February or March 4 March, April, May, June 1 March or April 1 August 4 February, March, May for cattle for seed Cabbage turnips Camomile Capsicums Carrots to draw young June 3 February, March, June 3 March, May, June October or November 2 May, June 1 2 May, June 1 March or April 1 March or April 3 January, April, July - principal crop 1. February or March - for seed 1 February February, April 2 February, March or April October, January, February, July, August February, March, April, 1 March or April 3 February, March, April 1 January or February 3 March, April, May January to August, November 9 2 January, February March to September 1 May and Water-cress 2 March, September. SECT. VII.-CATALOGUE OF FLOWERS, SHRUBS, AND TREES USUALLY CULTIVATED. 1. Tender Annual Flowers. To be sown on a strong hot-bed the last week in February, or first in March, transplanted afterwards upon another at four inches distance; then planted in small pots in May; afterwards in larger, and at the end of June placed in the open air. 1. Amaranths 2. Balsams 3. Cockscombs 5. Glocest. amaranths 6. Humble plant 7. Ice plant 8. Sensitive plant 9. Stramoniums. 2. Annual Flowers. To be sown on a moderate hot-bed in March or April, transplanted afterwards, before they are too thick, in rich light earth, and covered with mats; and in a month or six weeks into pots, or borders of the flower-garden. 1. African marygold 2. Browallia, blue 3. Capsicum 4. Cape marygold 5. Chinese aster 6. Chinese or Indian pink 7. Chrysanthemum 8. French marygold 9. Marvel of Peru 10. Mignonette 11. Nolana 12. Palma Christi 13. Stock Julyflower 14. Sultan, yellow 15. Zinnia. In sowing them, fix numbers to them, corresponding with these, to distinguish each sort when they appear. 3. Hardy Annual Flowers. To be sown in March or April on the borders of the flower garden. Those marked thust, being very hardy, may be sown in the beginning of February, to flower early. Hollow the earth out in form of a little basin, about a foot over, and two inches deep; draw a circle near the edge half an inch deep, and drop a few seeds in it; thin them soon after they appear, and leave them 4. Egg-plants |